Not a Prop, or a P.R. Problem

Campaign staffers and consultants tend to treat political spouses as either props or problems. Fortunately, we are seldom either of these things, which candidates’ internal polling reveals, if pollsters even bother to ask about the wives. (We're talking mostly about wives here, for the obvious reason I refuse to mention because it's so darn depressing for this mother who named her daughter's Cabbage Patch doll Gloria Steinem. In 1987.) Most people see us as pretty harmless, really. I say this as a columnist married to a U.S. senator from America’s heartland. I’m living proof that you can be full of opinions that stir up angry men and be completely ignored by millions of voters.

Campaigns love to trump up the importance of presidential nominees’ wives at convention time. They think it’s a chance to boss around the womenfolk, and they want the media to yak about how these women “humanize” their husbands. Pretty funny concept to those of us who never doubted the species of our oh-so-human husbands. Nine weeks before the election, however, we’re grateful for the laugh.

'Political wives' are used to being depicted as caricatures. That doesn’t mean their husbands don’t get an earful about it on occasion.

Ann Romney spoke at the Republican National Convention, and we learned that her husband makes her laugh. A lot. Michelle Obama is speaking at the Democratic convention this week, and dozens of writers will blog about her dress. A few pundits will feel the need to mention how far she’s come from 2008, when she joked about his smelly socks.

In other words, the coverage of Ann Romney and Michelle Obama will never reflect the complexities and talents of these two obviously bright, patriotic women. Like so many “political wives” before them, they’re used to being depicted as caricatures. That doesn’t mean their husbands don’t get an earful about it on occasion.

You’ll never hear about those conversations, but I’m telling you, they’re fascinating. Millions of wives know exactly what I mean.